The 24-year-old played under United manager Louis van Gaal while the Dutchman was in charge of the national side, and Van Gaal is keen to bring Strootman to Old Trafford with a £30million fee.

The former Bayern Munich boss has been chasing a defensive midfielder all summer, with priority target Arturo Vidal choosing to stay with Juventus rather than making a move to the Premier League.

Therefore Van Gaal is hoping Strootman recovers well from a knee injury he picked up in March before making an official offer for the midfield dynamo.

Strootman is expected to return to action in November, with his agent Chiel Dekker clarifying his client’s position stating: “He is of interest to Louis van Gaal but not related to Manchester United at this point.”

The former Ajax star made 29 appearances for Roma last season, scoring five goals.